NOTES:
As my notes on the Early Works page indicate, my first real compositions were created on the Moog Modular synthesizer, and I've had a sympathy for analog systems and techniques ever since. But once personal computers, MIDI, and digital audio processing became viable tools for composing and performing electronic music, I moved away from modular analog synthesizers, which weren't affordable for the average musician and were never really intended for live performance anyway.

However, one consequence of my recent collaborations with Jordan Rudess, particularly in our live electronic performances in which Jordan plays his MiniMoogs, is that I've come to miss the immediacy and organic sound of analog modular synthesizers. As a result, I decided to order a Buchla 200e Electric Music Box, which I received in June of 2007. I chose the 200e not only because of its compact size and functional density, but also because it's the only patchable modular synthesizer with preset memory, making it ideal for live performance.

The video and audio clips on this page document my first work with the Buchla 200e, and I'll be adding more as I come to a greater understanding of this complex and fascinating new instrument.

VIDEO : Introduction
This introductory video clip explains a bit about the 200e and the quad performance system I've designed to support it. It's about 7 minutes long.

July 27, 2007
This clip, "072707", is a 20-minute version of a structured improvisation I'm developing using most of the sounds I've created in my initial programming sessions with the 200e. Like all the recordings on this page, it's recorded in realtime without backing tracks or edits. It's a long download, so please be patient.

Chorale
This clip is a short chordal improvisation I've titled "Chorale", because that's what it reminds me of.

AUDIO : Thonk
"Thonk" is a rhythmic improvisation for 200e sequencer and three voices controlled by the Continuum, the basic sounds of which also make an appearance in "072707".